All I've Ever Needed
by Mubby
Summary: Amanda Waller recruits Oliver and Felicity to track down a rogue A.R.G.U.S. agent who has kidnapped Floyd Lawton's daughter as part of an unknown agenda. In order to catch him and save the child, they will have to travel to a small town in the middle of nowhere that is hiding more than a few secrets of it's own.
1. Chapter 1

"I never thought that this day would come but I have to say that I wish someone would rob a bank," Felicity complained to the room in general as she spun in slow circles in her chair. Her tone turned almost wistful, "Or break out of Iron Heights or unleash an army of super soldiers. I just wish someone would do _something_." Her chair spinning had picked up pace while she'd been talking and she used her foot to stop it seeing as she was getting a little dizzy. "I'm half-tempted to start following the cops around, see if they have something for me to do. I've never felt so bored in my life except for when I'm trapped at my day job. That's boring enough to make a person narcoleptic," she groaned. She knew that she was being a tad bit over-dramatic but the restlessness was getting to her. The past few weeks had been calmer than usual and that was saying something considering how quiet the city had become since they'd defeated Slade seven months ago.

Dig chuckled, ducking a punch from Oliver, who was frowning at Felicity's words. "I'm sorry that being my assistant is boring," he told her, sounding the exact opposite of sorry. Diggle landed a jab to Oliver's right side and he grunted.

"Don't act like you love being CEO, you'll do pretty much anything to get out of work. Besides, how many hours can you guys actually spend training? Not saying that I don't enjoy the show but that's all you guys have done for the past few weeks. Aren't you going stir-crazy?"

Roy snored lightly from the cot that was on the other side of her desk about ten feet away. She rolled her eyes and threw her pen at him, hitting him in the head while he drooled on the pillow. He grumbled but resumed his snoring, louder this time. She spun back around to face Oliver and Dig. "See? You've turned Roy into a narcoleptic."

"I know that things have been quiet lately," Oliver said between grunts as he deflected Dig's punches. "But this is Starling City, some psycho is bound to start wreaking havoc at some point."

"That's what you said last week _and_ the week before. Face it, Oliver, you might have intimidated every bad guy out of the city."

He stopped and gave her an exasperated look. "I highly doubt that, Felicity." Dig took advantage of the distraction to use his leg to sweep Oliver's feet out from under him, making him hit the training mat with a _thunk_. Oliver jumped back up and the sparring resumed with renewed intensity.

Felicity sighed, getting to her feet. She grabbed her purse off the table and slung it over her shoulder. "I'm going home. Try not to kill each other." She strode past them, stopping when she remembered something. "Don't forget we have that meeting in the morning, Oliver. Try not to be late." He waved her off, focusing on sparring with Dig. "Men," she grumbled as she started climbing up the stairs. She made it halfway up them when the door creaked open and two armed A.R.G.U.S. guards came through.

She scrambled back down the stairs. "Um, Oliver?" She said, getting his attention as she made her way back over to the training mat. "We've got company."

Heels clicked against the stairs as Oliver and Dig stopped training and joined Felicity. Roy had woken up, standing behind them, arms crossed across his chest, appearing much more awake than he had moments ago, and Felicity narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he'd been faking earlier. Amanda Waller stepped in view, pushing past the guards and coming to stand directly in front of Oliver.

She felt Oliver tense and she knew his fists were clenched without having to look at them. "What are you doing here, Amanda?" He asked, seething.

"And do you have to come so heavily armed?" Diggle asked. The tension in the room had tripled in the past minute.

She glared at him. "Considering that the last time I saw you, Mr. Diggle, you held a gun up to my head, I think my guards are necessary." Dig snorted and shook his head. Waller ignored him, directing her attention towards Oliver. "I came here because I am in need of some outside assistance," she answered in a clipped tone.

"What makes you think I'll help you?" Oliver asked.

"Because you owe me."

He scoffed. "Owe you for what?"

"For the fact that I didn't arrest Mr. Diggle and Ms. Michaels when they busted into my headquarters, threatening me and my staff."

"Seeing as you were about to nuke the city, I stand by what Lyla and I did." Dig snapped.

"I thought you might say that," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Will you cut to the chase, Amanda?" Oliver asked through gritted teeth.

"We have a situation developing and I am in need of the particular skill set of your team."

"If you want my help, you're going to have to be more specific than that." The irritation was clear in Oliver's voice.

"One of our agents has gone rogue. He also kidnapped Mr. Lawton's daughter before he went into hiding."

"Zoey?" Diggle asked, clearly more in the know than the rest of them. "Why would a rogue agent take Lawton's kid?"

"There was an altercation last week between Jack Hanson and Lawton in Mr. Lawton's cell. It was the next day that he disappeared as did Lawton's kid. It's not a coincidence."

"What do you mean by altercation?" asked Dig.

"Lawton taunted Hanson a few times and Hanson has a short fuse. When I wasn't there, he went into Lawton's cell and instigated a fight. I was going to suspend him the next day but he never showed for work."

"And why do you need our help with one of your agents?" Oliver folded his arms across his bare, built chest. Felicity nearly groaned out loud due to her thoughts. Now was not the time, no matter how sweaty he was.

"We believe he's holed up in a small town about six hours south of here. Unfortunately, A.R.G.U.S. does not have clearance to enter Maple Falls because of a classified military base located in the mountains on the outskirts of town."

"And that's where we come in," Oliver finished for her.

"Can't A.R.G.U.S. just go in anyways? I mean, I have a hard time believing one military base would stop you from doing whatever you wanted to do," Felicity blurted, though she quickly wished she'd stayed quiet when every pair of eyes in the room landed on her. "I just meant that I thought A.R.G.U.S. clearance went pretty far," she added.

"It usually does but this is one exception. General Hewitt has assured me that his team is on the lookout but it's not moving fast enough for me. I want this taken care of immediately and the child returned."

"Why take Lawton's kid? That seems a bit extreme even if they hated each other," Felicity thought out loud, unable to take the silence that had descended upon the room. "And why go rogue? What would make someone throw their whole life away? And how do you know they took his kid?"

Waller raised one perfect eyebrow. "I can't begin to understand Mr. Hanson's motives, I was hoping you could help with that."

Felicity couldn't help but notice how Waller had skirted past answering how she knew that Zoey Lawton was missing.

"We'll do it," Oliver said abruptly.

"I'm happy to hear that."

"I'm not doing this for you or Lawton. I'm doing this for the kid," said Oliver forcefully, making sure she got the picture.

"I don't care why you're doing it, Oliver, just do it right," she retorted wearily. "A rogue agent, especially one of Hanson's caliber, is something that can quickly spiral out of control."

"How much of a problem is it going to be trying to get into Maple Falls? I'm guessing we can't just barrel in looking for Hanson," asked Felicity.

Waller sighed, clasping her hands together behind her back. "It's not going to be easy. Maple Falls is a relatively small town, it's not easy to blend in but I believe you should be fine if you don't try to blend in."

Oliver's face crinkled in confusion. "I'm not following."

"If Oliver Queen shows up with his pretty little blonde assistant for a weekend getaway at a private lake house, the right questions won't be asked."

Felicity stepped forward, past Oliver. "You want me and Oliver to go there under the pretense of a romantic getaway so the military doesn't get suspicious? That sounds ridiculous."

"It's far from it, Miss Smoak. I cannot stress enough the discretion that is needed here. The Arrow can't parade into town to catch the bad guy and neither can Oliver Queen. This should give you enough leeway that you can search the mountains for the cabin we believe Hanson is in without interference."

"There has to be a better option," Felicity said, trying (and succeeding) not to cringe under the weight of Waller's gaze. "I'm more than happy to go with but I don't see what good I can do. Dig or Roy should go with Oliver, they're better back-up. Don't get me wrong, I can hack anything but my right hook is laughable."

"That's exactly why you need to go. Jack Hanson has an extensive background in computer sciences. You can be back-up and a cover, it's beyond convenient," Waller stated matter-of-factly.

"We'll take the plane first thing in the morning," Oliver told Waller as Felicity's eyes bugged out. They were definitely going to exchange some words once Waller was gone.

"You're going to have to drive there. Maple Falls is a no-fly zone and you can't land anywhere close. It would be pointless."

Oliver's jaw clenched, the muscles in his face straining. "Anything else you care to share?"

"I'll send all the information I have to Miss Smoak. The sooner this is over with, the better, Oliver. I would hate to press treason charges against Mr. Diggle and Ms. Michaels, especially with the impending birth of their child."

"That won't be necessary, Amanda, and you know it," Oliver snapped, livid.

"I sure hope so." She looked back at her guards, jerking her head towards the door. She spun on her heel, making her way out, every step punctuated by the click of her heel on the concrete floor. The second she disappeared from sight, everyone in the room let out the collective breath they'd been holding.

"Well, at least the club is closed. That would hard to explain those people stomping through," Felicity offered, needing to break the silence.

"Are you still bored?" Oliver asked.

"How was I supposed to know that saying I was bored would immediately summon Amanda Waller? Trust me, if I'd known that, I would've just kept my mouth shut."

"What the hell was that all about?" Roy interrupted.

"Waller flexing her power," Oliver answered wearily.

"Are you seriously going to go along with this plan?" Asked a bewildered Felicity.

"No. I'm going to Maple Falls but just me. You're staying here."

Felicity opened her mouth to protest, even though she wasn't sure why. Only moments ago, there was no way in hell she was going but the second Oliver said no, her mind changed. Go figure. "Oliver—"

He raised a hand, cutting her off. "Waller's right, a rogue A.R.G.U.S. agent is serious. We can't just sit back and let this guy run free but I can do this on my own. I don't care what Waller thinks, it's better if you stay here." His eyes settled on her, feeling like they were burning into her, and she was torn. She didn't want to necessarily go but she didn't want him to go on his own. If Hanson was highly specialized in computer sciences, then Oliver needed her. She just didn't know if she could survive a six-hour drive with Oliver, let alone who knew how long in a private lake house, which sounded scarily romantic.

"You need back-up, Oliver. We have no idea what you're really getting into, this could be a trap for all you know," Dig said.

"IThat's occurred to me but you're still not coming. You need to stay here."

Dig shook his head, worry etched into his face. "You need back up."

"I'm going to do this one on my own. I need the three of you to stay here and hold down the fort." He said as he brushed past her.

She shook her head, steaming, and for a brief second, she wanted to throw something at him. "You heard what she said, Oliver. This guy knows what he's doing, you need back-up."

"Fine but you're not coming with me, Felicity. I'll take Roy."

She was trying hard not to take offense to the fact that he didn't want her to go with but she was failing miserably. "Roy doesn't even know how to turn on a computer, let alone take on a guy who was trained by the government."

"Hey!" Roy protested.

"He can shoot an arrow, which is more than you can do."

"Stop being so damn stubborn. I'm going with and that's that."

Oliver snorted. "I'm being stubborn? We have no idea what we're walking into, Felicity. I'm not putting your life at risk."

"Exactly, Oliver, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into and as for putting my life at risk, that's a choice I make, not you."

"I'm not entirely convinced this isn't some ploy from Waller to get me out of the city for some nefarious reason. I need people here in case she tries something."

Felicity huffed and gave him an exasperated look."So, first, you don't want me to come with because you don't want to put my life in danger and now you want me to stay in the city in case Waller is planning something? I'm sorry, Oliver, but I'm having a hard time not taking this personally. I get that I'm not really an asset as far as fighting goes but if this guy does know his way around computers then I should be there."

They'd ended up impossibly close to each other and they both became aware at the same moment, the argument coming to an abrupt halt as they both stepped away. He paced the floor, briefly, waging an internal war.

"I should be the one to go," said Dig. "Lyla and I are the ones she's threatening to press charges against and as much as I dislike Lawton, I have to help him."

"I need you here, Diggle. I don't know how long this will take and you should be in the city. That baby could be here any day and you don't want to miss that just to catch some bad guy for Amanda Waller."

Dig leaned against the table, folding his arms across his chest. "It's my decision to make, Oliver."

"So everyone keeps pointing out to me," he grumbled in return. "What about you, Roy? Are you going to argue about why you should come?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I was actually going to argue the opposite. I should stay here since someone needs to run the club while Thea's gone."

Oliver sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Dig and Roy, you guys stay here. Felicity and I will go take care of this."

Diggle looked annoyed but he didn't say anything else, accepting the decision. Felicity, on the other hand, had gotten what she wanted but now she was feeling anxious. It wasn't because they were going to deal with a rogue A.R.G.U.S. agent, that kind of stuff was the status quo in her life now but the idea of spending that much time with Oliver, just the two of them, was enough to make her stomach churn with nervousness.

"Do you think Lawton knows his daughter is missing?" Roy asked no one in particular.

"I doubt it. I know Lawton and if he knew Zoey was in danger, he would go after her." Dig leaned against a table. "I'm guessing Waller hasn't told him because she doesn't want to have to detonate him just yet," he said, disgusted.

"Detonate him?" Roy asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Lawton's part of something called the Suicide Squad. A.R.G.U.S. took a bunch of criminals and placed trackers that double as explosives in them, first at the base of their skull and after we removed Lawton's, they starting fusing them to their spines. They do A.R.G.U.S.'s dirty work and if they step out of line or try to escape, they detonate them."

"That's twisted," Roy said.

"Which is why we need to get Zoey back. I'm not going to allow Waller to use the kid as leverage," Oliver told them.

"Do you really think Waller would do that?" Felicity asked before shaking her head. "Never mind. That's a stupid question."

"I'm going to try to get in to talk to Lawton, see if he knows anything," Diggle said.

"Even if Waller will let you talk to him, maybe it is best if he doesn't know Zoey's missing," Felicity said.

"He needs to know. There's no love lost between Lawton and I but what A.R.G.U.S. has done to him is wrong. Zoey is the only thing Lawton cares about and he deserves to know. Plus, he could give a little more insight into what went down between him and Hanson." Felicity suspected he was feeling more of a kinship to Lawton now that he was about to be a father.

"Okay, Dig, go see if you can get in to talk to Lawton tomorrow. Felicity and I will leave first thing in the morning. I'll pick you up at your place, be ready." He turned to leave, assuming the conversation was over.

"What about the meeting in the morning?"

"Reschedule it for next week."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You'll take any excuse you can to get out of meeting, won't you?"

A boyish grin came over his face, the smile that made her think billionaire playboy more than any other one. "If you really want, we could go to the meeting and then drive six hours."

She sighed. There was no way she was going to subject herself to a boring meeting before having to be in a car that long. "I'll call in the morning and reschedule. It's a good thing we only make it to the office 40% of the time so this isn't unusual."

"Are you sure the two of you go in that much?" Dig teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I would be there everyday if my boss would show up. In fact, when I worked in the IT department, I was there everyday. Besides, we've gone in every day for the last month. That should buy us some goodwill, at least."

"I almost wish I was going so I could enjoy the show that would be a road trip with the two of you," Roy said before he frowned. "Actually, no. I don't think you could pay me enough to be in a car with you two for that long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Felicity asked.

"An enclosed space with the two of you bickering like you usually do, does not sound that fun."

"We don't bicker," she defended herself but she didn't really mean it. Roy had a point, for once.

Both Roy and Diggle gave her a look that clearly said they didn't believe it but it was Dig who spoke this time. "Whatever you say, Felicity."

She was going to say something else when the computer beeped. The information from Waller had arrived.

"I'll see you in the morning, Felicity," Oliver said before walking out of the Foundry.

Not long after, she said good night to Dig and Roy, making her way out of the Foundry, through the club, and out to where her car was parked. She was surprised to find out that Oliver was still here, leaning against her car, and apparently waiting for her. "What are you still doing here?" She asked as she dug her car keys out of her purse.

He pushed off the car, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "I wanted to apologize for earlier, for trying to make you stay here."

"Well, it's a good thing you can't make me do anything," she shot back.

He pulled a hand out of his pockets, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "I know and I shouldn't have tried. I know you can handle yourself and you'd rather be in the thick of it alongside all of us. The thing is, I can't make up my mind when it comes to you." He stared at her with a perplexed look on his face before shaking his head. "On one hand, there's no one I'd rather have as backup because I trust you explicitly, but I'm nervous every time I put you in a situation like that. If something happened to you because of me," he trailed off.

"Oliver Queen, nervous? I don't believe it," she teased lightly, brushing past the implications of what he'd said.

The right side of his mouth twitched. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that you're all the backup that I need."

Her heart beat a little faster but she schooled her face. "Thank you. And I guess we can forget about your misguided attempt to keep me from the action. This time."

He hovered over her, a smile on his face, and she could tell he wanted to say something else. Whatever it was, she didn't know because he stepped away from her and walked over to his bike. "I'll see you in the morning, Felicity."

"Good night, Oliver," she said softly as she climbed into her car.

What exactly had she just gotten herself into?

* * *

><p>It was seven the next morning when Oliver pulled up to the curb outside her house in a black Range Rover she hadn't seen before. She locked her front door and he got out of the vehicle to help her with her bags. She was normally a pretty light traveler but she'd wanted to be prepared for anything which was why she had one suitcase that was all clothes and two other bags for her computer equipment. "Where'd you get that?" She asked mid-yawn, pointing at the Range Rover.<p>

"It's a company vehicle. My bike isn't ideal for a long trip like this and a town car is too conspicuous."

She raised an eyebrow as she stifled another yawn. "And a giant black Range Rover is the epitome of low key?"

"Well, it should at least make the drive a little more comfortable than it would be in your tiny car."

She couldn't argue that as she carried her suitcase full of clothes to the car before climbing into the passenger seat. There were two steaming cups of coffee in the cup holders and she grabbed one, burning her tongue because of her impatience.

Oliver climbed in, chuckling. "It's hot."

"I know that but if I don't get some caffeine in me right now, this is going to be a miserable trip for you."

"And that's why I brought coffee." He started the car and pulled away from the curb.

She yawned again and blew on her coffee, trying to cool it off before taking another drink. She pulled her tablet out of her purse and opened the files Waller had sent her last night. "According to this, Hanson is, or well, was, higher up in A.R.G.U.S. than Waller let on."

Oliver snorted. "Shocker."

"He was promoted about a year ago and before that he was their main computer science expert. Of course, it doesn't say in here where exactly he was promoted to but it does say that he was reporting directly to Waller, which doesn't bode well."

"If he was that high up and had enough access to Lawton that he could enter the cell, I'd guess he was a part of managing the Suicide Squad."

She shook her head in disgust. "I don't know how they can get away with that. I understand that these are murderers and all-around bad guys but that's just sick."

Oliver nodded in agreement. "What else does it say in there about Hanson?"

"To be honest, not a whole lot. He was born and raised in Starling City, both parents are dead, no other family. He started out in the military before moving over to A.R.G.U.S. and that's all it really says. Other than the fact that he's considered armed and dangerous, nothing unusual for us."

The left side of his mouth had quirked up in a small smile. "You've come a long way from just being an IT girl if hunting down a rogue agent is just another day in the life for you."

"Like it isn't for you," she said. "You've come a long way from being a vigilante working your way down a list."

"A lot has changed since we met."

That was true, she thought while her mind flashed back to the day she'd met him at Queen Consolidated. She'd had no idea back then where life was going to take her, content to be an IT girl, meandering through life. If someone had told her then that three years later, she would be an integral part of a team that fought hard daily to keep the city safe, she would have laughed in their face. If someone had told her that she would be taking a road trip to catch a bad guy with Oliver Queen, just the two of them, she would have told them they were nuts. If someone had told her that Oliver Queen would tell her that he loved her, ruse for a madman or not, she would have had them committed.

She looked over at Oliver in the driver's seat, admiring the way his gray cotton t-shirt hugged his upper body and the way the early morning light was making his blue eyes sparkle. For the millionth time since that moment in the mansion, she shoved her feelings towards Oliver back into their little box and locked them up tight. They would bang on the sides, begging to come out, but she couldn't let them. They were friends and partners, they needed each other, but not in that way. This partnership was important to her and she knew it was important him. That meant more to her than anything else, so she would continue on as she was, ignoring these feelings that she could admit were growing in intensity, and enjoy the relationship she already had with Oliver.

As he glanced over at her, a small smile on his lips, her heart skipped a beat, and the lid on the box opened a crack, much to her annoyance. This was going to be a very long drive, indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver parked the car outside of a gas station about four hours into their trip and Felicity scrambled out of the car, in desperate need of some air. Oliver gave her a strange look before he walked into the gas station. She stretched her arms into the air, standing on her tip-toes to stretch her entire body. She'd spent the last four hours trying to find every bit of information she could about Hanson and Maple Falls and it wasn't much. She'd only kept at it to keep herself distracted from the fact that she was stuck in such close quarters with Oliver.

With every breath she'd taken, she'd breathed in his scent, and it was getting to her, more than usual. She had no clue how she was going to get through the next eight hours. She grabbed her purse and headed into the gas station, needing some more caffeine and some food to quiet her rumbling stomach. Oliver was coming out as she was going in, apparently having the same idea as her seeing as there was a cup of coffee in one hand and a muffin in the other. "I would have grabbed you something but I didn't know what you wanted, other than coffee."

"It's fine, I have to use the bathroom anyways. I'll be right out," she told him as she walked past.

She quickly located the coffee machine, grabbing the biggest cup she could, and filled it to the brim, savoring the smell. She made her way slowly around the store, taking small sips as she browsed the shelves, trying to find something edible that wasn't junk food. She gave up, realizing Oliver had the right idea, and grabbed a poppy-seed muffin. She brought it up to the counter and the overweight, middle-aged man behind the till smiled down at her. "What brings you folks to these parts? Are you traveling through?" He asked cheerily, not taking his eyes off of her. She nodded.

"I'm just curious 'cause city folk don't come through here very often," he was regarding her suspiciously and she considered ditching her coffee and muffin but she _really _needed that coffee.

A thought occurred to her and she glanced around the store, checking to see if anyone else was there. "Can I ask you a question?"

The man's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Of course, I'm more than happy to answer any questions."

"Has a man come through her recently? Maybe with a little girl in tow? He'd stick out, I'd think, he's about 6'3, brown hair, built, he might have looked nervous, like he was worried someone might be following him."

The man nodded thoughtfully. "I think I know who you're talking about. Didn't have a little girl with him though and he looked sick, that's why he stuck out to me. Plus, he looked like a military man, figured he was headed up to the base in Maple Falls. My dad was military, I can spot servicemen within seconds."

She didn't know if it was a good or bad thing that Zoey hadn't been with but for all she knew, the girl could have been in the car. "When was this?"

"About three days ago. He was real pale and sweaty, I was worried he was contagious. You never know around these parts, especially where the military is concerned." He rang her coffee and muffin up. "I don't know what you're doing, Miss, but if I were you I would stay far away from Maple Falls."

She handed him her money, frowning. "Why? What's going on there?"

He waved her off, uncomfortable with the change of topic. "Oh, I don't know. I stay away from there."

"You must have some sort of an idea. This seems like a pretty tight community, I'm sure people talk. Maple Falls is only two hours from here, that's practically in your backyard around these parts." She gave him her sweetest smile, trying to make the most of her feminine wiles.

He glanced around the store, his nervousness becoming more obvious. "I think they're experimenting on people there." He finally said, shaking his head. "Maple Falls used to be a nice place, one of those small towns where everybody knew everybody but it's changed, especially in the last ten years. Ever since the military built that facility, things have been different. People disappear, leave town without saying goodbye, and new people with no ties to the area moved into their houses. Some people say there's strange sounds at night, out in the woods, say that they sound human but different, at the same time. They've asked the military countless times but no one will give them a straight answer. I had a friend who was born and raised there. He moved his family five years ago because he was scared something would happen to them."

"What about the police?"

"The police are nothing more than figureheads. It's the military that runs the town, sweetheart."

The bell above the door chimed and Felicity turned around to find Oliver standing there, face etched with concern. "Is everything okay in here?"

Felicity nodded. "We just got caught up talking. I just need my change and I'll be out there." She had a feeling the guy would be reluctant to say anymore with Oliver standing there.

It didn't matter, though, as it seemed he'd said everything he was willing to say as he handed her money back to her, pushing her coffee and muffin towards her. "No charge, ma'am. You just take care of yourself out there." He leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "It's not too late to turn around."

She smiled, doing her best to put him at ease. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Thanks for the coffee and conversation."

He sighed, nodding. "Maybe I'll see you when you're on your way back. If you come back, you can have another coffee on the house."

She thanked him again before joining Oliver and making their way back to the Range Rover. "What was that about?" Oliver asked as they climbed into the vehicle.

"Apparently, Hanson was in here three days ago, that guy thinks he was on his way to Maple Falls, same as us."

"Was the kid with him?" He pulled out of the parking lot as she pulled her tablet back out.

"If she was, he left her in the car." Felicity frowned and pulled her tablet out again. "Come to think of it, there is no information on Zoey Lawton at all in what Waller sent me. I don't even know where she was living before Hanson kidnapped her." She grabbed her cell phone, dialing Diggle's number. "I'm going to call Dig. He knows more about Lawton than we do."

"What's up?" Dig asked once he picked up.

"Hey, I'm trying to figure out where Zoey was living exactly when she was kidnapped, did Lawton ever mention to you where she lived?"

"No, he didn't tell me much about her other than the fact that every dollar he earned went to her."

"Which means there's a bank account out there with her name on it. That should help me find out where she was taken from. Did he ever mention her mom? I'm assuming that's who she lived with and if I have her name, it should speed the process up."

"I don't know it but I'll be going in to see Lawton in a little while, see if he'll tell me. Why do you need to know where she was taken from if we know Hanson is in Maple Falls?"

"Because this isn't adding up. We just stopped at a gas station and the guy working saw Hanson a few days ago but he didn't have a kid with him. If he kidnapped Zoey, either she would have already been with him if he took the same route as us or he took her from a town between here and Maple Falls but from what I can tell, there isn't a whole lot between Starling City and Maple Falls."

"Okay, I'll call you back when I have news."

They said their goodbyes and Felicity hung up the phone. "What are you thinking?" Oliver asked.

"That there is more going on here than Waller let on. That guy at the store said that a lot of people are convinced something shady is happening in Maple Falls."

"So you think whatever is going on in that town is connected to Zoey Lawton?"

She pushed her glasses back up, shaking her head, making her ponytail fall across her right shoulder. "I don't know but I do know we don't have the full story."

"Why do I get the feeling we're about to stumble into something that's much bigger than a rogue agent?" Oliver grumbled from the driver's seat.

* * *

><p>An hour after he talked to Felicity, Diggle walked into A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, making a beeline for where he knew Amanda Waller would be. Two armed guards stood shoulder to shoulder in the hallway, blocking his path. "You don't have authorization to be in here."<p>

"Let him through," Waller's voice echoed through the hallway. The guards reluctantly stepped aside, letting him pass, and Dig couldn't resist giving them a smug smile. "What do you want, Diggle?" She asked as she led him to her office.

"I want to talk to Lawton."

"I can't allow that. Anything you need to know I can tell you."

"I'd rather to talk to Lawton."

She smiled and leaned on her desk. "I'm surprised that you're willing to help him since he killed your brother."

"He was just a hired hand and I'm not here to discuss my past with Lawton."

"My answer is still the same, Mr. Diggle. I cannot allow you to speak with Lawton."

"Why? What are you hiding?"

"Lawton does not know Zoey is missing and I'm not about to risk losing him because you couldn't keep your mouth shut," she snapped at him.

"Then where was Zoey living before she was kidnapped?"

Her eyes darkened and Dig knew he'd struck a nerve. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Felicity is trying to establish a timeline and that's a little difficult to do when you have no information on the kid. I mean, how did you even know Hanson took her?"

"We have sources."

Dig snorted. "It's funny how you want our help with your problem but you can't even give us all the pertinent information."

"I decide what information is pertinent and what's none of your business. _This _is none of your business."

Dig pulled his phone out of his pocket, meeting Waller's steel gaze. "If it's none of our business, then this isn't our problem. Let me call Oliver quick and tell him how uncooperative you're being."

"Me? Uncooperative? I think you're forgetting what placed you in this situation, Mr. Diggle. It is you who is being uncooperative and if you make that phone call, I will have you arrested for treason," she threatened him.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "It's your call, Waller. If you want to arrest me, go for it. I'm not going to let Oliver and Felicity walk into this without the full story." He hit the speed dial for Oliver and put the phone up to his ear.

Waller tensed up, staring him down for a long minute, before she shoved herself off her desk. "Fine," she snapped. "Hang up the phone, Diggle. I'll let you in to talk to Lawton."

Dig shoved the phone back into his pocket, happy she hadn't called his bluff because he knew Oliver wouldn't answer. "I'm happy to hear it," he threw her words from last night back at her.

She strode past him, gesturing for him to follow. "If Lawton does something stupid, it's on you."

"He won't," Dig told her even though he wasn't sure that was the case. "I want to talk to him privately."

"That won't happen."

"Waller," he warned.

She spun on her heel, stopping and facing him. "What you're failing to understand, Mr. Diggle, is that there is not a single inch of this facility that isn't under surveillance."

He wanted to ask if there was audio in every room too but he was done pushing his luck. He was going to talk to Lawton, that was good enough for now. He nodded his head and Waller resumed walking.

* * *

><p>"So what have you found out about Maple Falls?" Oliver asked when they were about ten miles away from the town.<p>

"Not a whole lot. It was a town that relied on the lumber mill until about twelve years ago when it shut down. After it shut down, the military came in and built a base. They were welcomed with open arms because they brought job opportunities but it didn't last long. According to the census information I dug up, they've been steadily losing people over the past decade. Now most of the people who live there work for the military, that seems to be the only new people who have moved to town. It was pretty well-known for a little while, it was a great vacation area with the lake. Perfect for fishing and hunting, all that outdoorsy stuff, if that's what you're into. As for this lake house Waller booked us reservations at, it's actually kind of famous in its own right."

"Famous for what?"

"Being the destination for high-profile couples flying under the radar. There's even rumors JFK and Marilyn Monroe stayed there back in the day."

"Seems like Waller knew what she was talking about when she wanted to send the two of us," Oliver admitted begrudgingly.

"She probably got some sick, twisted joy out of it."

Oliver side-eyed her. "What makes you think that?"

Felicity shrugged. "She just seems to be that kind of person who likes to make other people uncomfortable."

"And this trip makes you uncomfortable?"

That hadn't been the way she'd been expecting the conversation to go in. "Well—uh—um—yes." She looked over at Oliver and she wished she could read his mind. "Doesn't it make you uncomfortable? Knowing that you're going to have to pretend to be "involved" with me?" She used her fingers to mimic quotation marks.

Oliver fell quiet for a moment and she started getting nervous, shoving her hands under her thighs to hide their shaking. "No," he finally answered.

"What do you mean it doesn't—"

"We're here," he cut her off. "Where do we have to go?"

She mumbled under her breath about dodging questions before she directed him through the small town. It seemed like a pleasant place, though she was sure _seemed_ was the keyword in the sentence. There were a few quaint, similar houses lining the main block, along with a single grocery store, gas station, and bar. Everything on the main drag through town seemed to be the only thing the town offered and Felicity didn't know how these people didn't go insane from boredom. Between growing up in Vegas and living in Starling City, she was a through and through city girl. Though, she couldn't deny the appeal of a small town hidden away in the woods where neighbors were friendly and you couldn't walk into a business without running into someone you knew. They turned onto a narrow, gravel road and drove down it for a mile before coming to a cabin. The sign outside declared _Hollow Woods Cabins Your Perfect And Private Vacation Destination, Enjoy Your Visit With Us!_

The main cabin looked a little worse for the wear and Felicity couldn't see any other cabins in the vicinity, the only things she could see was a hiking trail and a large, dark lake that was glittering in the afternoon sun. Oliver stopped the car and got out, Felicity joining him. The fresh air filled her lungs and she briefly wished this was a real vacation. Though, if she was on a real vacation with Oliver at a place like this, she'd be worried she'd been sucked into an alternate universe. She had to admit this place was breathtakingly beautiful, the only sounds were birds singing in the skies and the wind rustling the green leaves above her. "It's beautiful out here," she whispered mostly to herself.

Oliver smiled back at her and nodded his agreement. He held his hand out towards her and she stared at it strangely. He stepped closer to her, lowering his voice. "Remember, we're supposed to be on a lover's trip."

She raised an eyebrow but still took his hand, enjoying the way it felt in hers. "If you call it a lover's trip again, I will take the Range Rover back to Starling City and abandon you here," she warned him quietly.

Some emotion crossed his face that she couldn't pinpoint and he told her softly, "You'd never abandon me." Her jaw dropped before she quickly snapped it shut. He smiled again and tugged on her hand. "Come on, let's go check in."

In a daze, she followed him. Way to throw her off her game. Not that she really had any game to begin with. At all. She could count cards but she sucked at whatever game this was. Oliver pushed the door open to the rustic cabin and they were greeted by a cheerful man who looked to be in his eighties. "Well, hello there! I take it you're the folks who have the Presidential Cabin reserved?"

She nudged Oliver with her elbow and mouthed _Presidential Cabin_. He shrugged and turned his focus back to the old man, who had noticed the exchange. "We redid the cabin a few years, I designed it myself," he told them proudly. "I named it, too, after a certain special guest we used to entertain back in the day," he winked while he whispered conspiratorially.

Felicity and Oliver shared a smile before Oliver cleared his throat. "I'm Oliver Queen and this is Felicity Smoak."

The old man grinned. "My name is Alvin Jones, it's nice to meet you. It's not very often I get visitors anymore, especially high-profile ones like yourself Mr. Queen but I can promise you the utmost privacy while you stay here." He handed the keys and a map over to Oliver. "That map has all the hiking trails marked, it's best if you use that while following them the trails, don't want you wandering off."

"Why?" Felicity asked.

His left eye twitched and he ran a hand through his hair. "We don't want you getting lost and running into a bear, that's all."

Oliver squeezed her hand and she pursed her lips together to keep from talking. "Thank you, Mr. Jones," Oliver said as he took a step back from the desk.

"Come and see me if you need anything, anything at all. I live here so I'm always available. There'll be breakfast in that room to the right at eight a.m., and coffee, can't forget that," he called after them as they walked out.

Felicity smiled at him over her shoulder. "Thank you, Mr. Jones."

* * *

><p>Amanda Waller beckoned for a guard to open the door to Lawton's cell. Once it was open, Diggle stepped in, Lawton's eyes widening when he saw him. Lawton smirked and shook his head. "Can't say I'm that surprised to see you, John."<p>

Dig shut the door behind him as he fully made his way into the cell. "And why's that?"

Lawton shrugged. "Don't get many visitors, except for A.R.G.U.S. agents and you. So what are you doing here? You come to break me out?"

"I came to talk about Jack Hanson."

"Who?" Lawton said but his face gave away that he knew more than he was letting on.

"You know who I'm talking about," Dig pushed.

Lawton grinned. "Oh, wait, is that the tough guy who tried to beat me up a few days ago? What about him?"

Dig was already frustrated with Lawton's attitude and considered walking out of the cell right then and there but it wouldn't help anybody. "He's disappeared, along with Zoey, A.R.G.U.S. thinks she's been kidnapped."

Lawton's eyes narrowed and his the muscle in his neck began to pulse. "My Zoey?" His face turned beat red and he jumped to his feet, Dig could feel the anger emanating off of him. "That prick took my Zoey?"

"People are working on getting her back now but I need to know where she was living at before, where he took her from." Lawton wasn't hearing him though, pacing like a madman in his cell.

"I'll kill him," he said in a deadly whisper before turning his face up to the camera in the corner of his cell. "Do you hear me? I will kill the son-of-a-bitch that took my daughter and everyone that let it happen!" He lunged towards Dig, wrapping his hands, that were cuffed together at the wrist, around Diggle's throat. Dig grabbed his hands and started to pull them away from his throat when Lawton leaned in a little closer to him. He tilted his face away from the camera and whispered into Diggle's ear. "Skyline storage, Aberdeen Drive, locker 261, you'll find everything you need to know there."

A guard pulled Lawton off of him and another tugged on Dig's arm, pulling him out of the room, but not before he caught a glimpse of Lawton winking at him with his good eye. Dig yanked his arm back, finding Waller standing in the middle of the hall, arms crossed, sneer on her lips. "Satisfied?"

Lawton slammed into the closed door a couple of times and Waller rolled her eyes. "I told you it would be no use talking to him."

Dig stepped closer. "He deserved to know his kid was missing."

"Was that what this was about? You wanted to do the _noble_ thing for Floyd Lawton," she taunted. "My, how times have changed."

"Not all of us can live with morals as shady as you, Amanda," he said as he walked past her and out the door that would lead to an exit.

"We'll just have to wait and see how long it takes you to lose that moral high ground you're so proud of, John," she snapped at his back, just before the door shut and blocked her voice.

A guard was waiting on the other side for him. Dig waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know the drill." He let the guy walk him out of the building and he waited until he was in his car to pull out his cell phone. "Roy, I need you to meet me at Skyline Storage on Aberdeen, bring your gear.


	3. Chapter 3

Felicity unlocked the door to their cabin, which Mr. Jones had failed to tell them was a half-mile trek down the trail. On the plus side, they were right on the lake with a gorgeous view and there were no other cabins nearby to speak of, it was the epitome of private. She pushed the door open, walked through, and stepped aside, holding the door open for Oliver, who was carrying all of their belongings. She looked around the room, taking it in, and her mouth dropped. The main part of the cabin was larger than she'd expected, a large, plush couch was facing a big fireplace and there was a small kitchen, complete with a fridge, stove, and small dining table. It even came with a bar that was tucked over in the corner to the left of the door. She was taken aback by the room as her feet carried her over to a door that opened up into a bedroom. Inside was a _huge_ bed, one she was guessing was a California King, and she stifled the urge to throw herself onto it because she knew she'd never get back up. There were small night stands on either side of the bed and a soft, white carpet and she cringed when she realized she was still wearing her shoes. She backed out of the room, straight into Oliver.

"This place is not what I was expecting," he said in a low voice as she scrambled away from him.

"Someone says lake house, I imagine a small, rustic cabin. This place isn't small and it's definitely not rustic." And this was where they were supposed to stay? With only one bed? Obviously, one of them would be sleeping on the couch and by one of them, she meant Oliver, but it was still strange to be staying overnight with him in a place with only one bed. She tried not to think too hard about their sleeping arrangements as she started to set up her computer equipment on the desk.

"Okay, I'm going to go take a look around the area, see what's around us. Maybe I'll luck out and find Hanson." He grabbed a backpack off the floor, slinging it over one shoulder, obviously having prepared for this. "I'll be back before dark." And before she could say anything, he'd walked out the door, leaving her standing alone.

"Sure, Oliver, I'll stay here. Don't mind me, I have plenty of things to keep me busy. Not," she grumbled to herself, slumping into the desk chair. She turned on the computer, checking on the search she started earlier that was looking for any documents linked to either Hanson or Zoey but nothing had turned up so far. When she saw nothing new, she booted up a program that would break through the base's firewall, it was a good program but it would still take a while. With nothing else to do, she decided to wander down to the main cabin.

The air was warm against her face and she pulled her hair out of its ponytail, shaking it out as she walked down the trail, letting the light breeze play with it. It was strange to have some quiet and peaceful alone time. There was a difference between going home to an empty, quiet house and taking a walk out in nature. This was the kind of alone time she could get used to.

She pushed the door open, calling out for Mr. Jones as she stepped inside. The aroma of coffee struck her and she sighed audibly, enjoying the smell. Okay, so maybe she had a bit of a coffee problem.

"Ah, Miss Smoak!" Alvin answered cheerfully. "I was hoping you would drop in for a visit. Is it just you?"

She grinned. "It's just me. Oliver wanted to take a hike but I'm still a little wiped from the drive down."

"Well, come back here, into the breakfast area. We can sit, have a cup of coffee, and chat, if you'd like."

"I'd love that," she said as she followed him into a room that was set up with six tables, a couple of coffee makers and waffle makers, plus a couple of areas she guessed were filled with fresh fruit in the mornings.

"How long a drive is it from Starling City? Five?"

"Six. How did you know we were from Starling City?"

"I may be old, Miss Smoak, but I do keep up with current events. It was a pretty big deal when your boyfriend disappeared all those years ago only to resurface five years later. It's a fascinating story." He gestured towards a table by a large window looking out to the lake. He set a cup down for her and took his own seat, sipping on his coffee.

She barely resisted the urge to tell him that Oliver wasn't her boyfriend, forgetting that as far as Mr. Jones was concerned, Oliver was her boyfriend. "Please call me Felicity."

"Only if you call me Alvin."

She smiled sweetly and nodded. "So Alvin, how long have you owned this place?"

"I grew up here. It was my father that built this place and I took over when I was thirty. I've been here ever since, met my wife in town, raised my children here, buried my wife here. This is home."

"It's beautiful out here."

He smiled proudly. "It sure is. We don't get much business anymore but I could never leave. It's too peaceful."

She nodded thoughtfully, taking a drink of coffee. "The Presidential Cabin is very nice, I can tell you put a lot of work into it."

An _aw__ shucks_ look came over his face. "It's the most used cabin, made sense to go all out when I redid it."

"How has business been?"

He shifted in his seat. "It's been real slow now for the past few years, not a whole lot of people coming to this area anymore. Not a whole lot of people left in the town itself," he added forlornly.

"Because of the military?" She asked gently.

"It's not my place to say."

She knew this wasn't a topic he was comfortable with but she wanted an insider's insight. "I've heard some rumors about this place and the military. I'm sorry, sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me."

His face softened. "My wife use to tell me the same thing, always said my curiosity was going to be the death of me." He sighed and pushed back the wispy strands of white hair he still had. "This is a nice town, Miss Smoak, or at least it used to be. I don't know what it is now."

"Someone mentioned that people have been disappearing. Is that true?"

"Not according to the police but I have had a few friends leave town without word, never to be heard from again."

"And the cops won't do anything?"

"Nope. They always say they talk to them, that they just got out of town but I've lived here my whole life. Something evil is happening here."

"What do you think is happening?" She shivered and the room felt like it dropped ten degrees, the sky darkening outside.

"I think man is playing God." He excused himself, using coffee as a reason to leave the room, leaving Felicity alone to ponder his words.

* * *

><p>Roy and Dig met up at Skyline Storage, biding their time outside until it started to get dark and they had a better chance of not being seen. They walked down to locker 261 and Roy used the bolt cutters to break the padlock that was keeping the door closed. Roy pulled the door open and Dig walked in, turning on his flashlight. Stacks and stacks of boxes filled the room, some stacked neatly, others not so much. A few of the boxes had papers falling out of them and Dig walked up to a stack, while Roy took another, using their flashlights to start reading some of the papers in them.<p>

"Uh, Dig?" Roy said after a few minutes. "All the papers in here are about Maple Falls."

Diggle sighed. "Same here." They fell quiet as they continued to dig through the boxes. Diggle's stomach tightened as he opened a box that contained information on Zoey Lawton and he caught sight of the address on one page. "She lives in Maple Falls," he told Roy.

"Who?"

Dig laughed softly as he continued to read. "Zoey. A.R.G.U.S. placed her and her mom in the town when they took Lawton into custody. Hanson didn't kidnap her, he went to get her out. Lawton planned this."

"So Oliver and Felicity are tracking down someone who's trying to help Zoey Lawton?"

Dig nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "The facility isn't military, it's A.R.G.U.S., they're doing human testing, pulling subjects from the town." He dialed Felicity's number and put the phone up to his ear.

"Dig, did you find out where Zoey Lawton was before she was kidnapped?" She asked as soon as she answered.

"Yeah, that's what I'm calling about. Hanson didn't kidnap the kid, he—" he heard a loud click on the other end and the phone went silent. "Felicity? Felicity, are you still there?" No answer. He tried to call again but it didn't even ring before an automated voice was telling him the number was no longer in service. "Damn it." He shoved his phone back in his pocket. He had a bad feeling about this and his spine tingled, confirming that something was about to happen. "Roy, get out of here. Find a way to get through to Felicity and Oliver, they're in a lot more danger than they know."

"What's going on, Dig?" He asked, confused.

"Just get out of here, Roy." A flood light suddenly illuminated the storage unit just before the one they were in. Roy hesitated another second before taking off at a full-blown run. Dig grabbed a gas can that he'd noticed only moments ago and started to pour it on everything. He wished he could read more but he couldn't risk Waller finding out how much they knew or learning what Lawton and Hanson were really up to. Four armed men appeared at the door, pointing their guns at him. Diggle dropped his flashlight and put his hands in the air as Amanda Waller came into sight.

"Arrest him," she ordered the men. He smiled at her, striking a match that had been concealed in the palm of his hand and tossing it behind him. The guards grabbed his arm and yanked him forward as the storage unit erupted into flames. Waller glared at him as the guards put handcuffs on him. "That was an extremely stupid decision, John."

He snorted. "Back at you, Amanda." He hoped Roy found a way to contact Oliver before the shit hit the fan in Maple Falls. If it hadn't already.

* * *

><p>Felicity tried to no avail to call Dig back but it wasn't working. None of it worked. Her phone and the internet had cut out at the same time. The power was still on but there was no connection to the outside world. She tried Oliver's phone, even though she knew it would be useless. She'd come back to their cabin and had done her best to wait patiently for Oliver. Now it was dark and the phones were out and she wasn't exactly keen on staying here. She tossed the phone onto the table, angrily, and grabbed a flashlight out of her purse. She turned it on and stepped outside into the now eerie night. "Great idea, Felicity," she muttered out loud to herself. "Phones don't work so just go out into the woods at night. You won't get killed." She swung the flashlight around, scanning the woods as she walked briskly down the trail towards the main cabin. Maybe the phone there was working and she could call Dig, find out what he meant when he said Hanson didn't kidnap the girl. Though, she probably should' have waited until Oliver came back but it was already dark. He said he would be back before that and he still wasn't here, so she wasn't going to sit around and wait.<p>

It was a quick walk, mostly due to the pace she was walking, pushed forward by her fear. When she came to the main cabin and saw that not a single light was on, she let a rare swear word slip from her lips.

"I was thinking the same thing," Oliver said as he stepped out of the shadows, drawing a yelp from her. "What the hell are you doing out here, Felicity?"

"I'm out here because I was coming to see if the phone worked here. My phone isn't working and neither is the internet."

"So you thought coming out here by yourself with no weapons was a smart idea?" He was pissed.

"No, actually, I didn't, but I wasn't going to wait in the cabin for whenever you decided to show up."

"You should have stayed put," he bit out while he stormed past her.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the cabin."

"What about the phone in the main cabin?" She asked as she caught up to him, reluctant to leave their parked car and the main cabin.

"Doesn't work. I already checked."

She rolled her eyes and struggled to keep up with his quick pace. "What do you mean you already checked? Did you break in?"

"I picked the lock to the back door, he won't even know we were in there."

"You mean he won't know _you _were in there?"

He stopped walking and gave her a disbelieving look over his shoulder. "We can't do anything tonight. We won't find anything out in those woods in the dark and there's no point going into town. We'll hole up in the cabin and figure out what's going on in the morning."

"That's your plan? Wait until morning? I feel _so_ much better now."

"Do you have a better idea, Felicity? One that doesn't involve a working phone because I can guarantee that we won't find one in town." She started to tell him about her phone call with Dig but he cut her off. "Wait until we get back to the cabin." He glanced around him, clearly worried someone might be listening in to them. She hadn't really thought about that but now that she had, she was more concerned about being attacked, not who might be listening.

"I was on the phone with Dig when the signal cut out," the words burst from her the second they walked through the door and closed it behind them. Oliver walked around the cabin, checking the window locks.

"What did he find out? Did he get to talk to Lawton?"

"I don't know. All he said before the phone cut out was that Hanson didn't kidnap Zoey. What that means, I don't know. And I have no hope of finding out with the internet down."

Oliver rubbed his jaw. "Does that mean Zoey isn't here? Why would Waller lie to us and send us here?" Felicity gave him an exasperated look, having just told him that she has no idea. "Okay, then we wait it out until morning, hopefully everything will be back online then."

"And if it's not? You have a plan for that, right?"

"Not a great one," he admitted reluctantly. "I found a trail out there that wasn't marked on the map, I was going to follow it but it was already dark, figured it was best if I came back. I tried to call you, that's when I realized the phones were down. So tomorrow morning, we'll head out on that trail, try to find out where Hanson is staying, if he's even here."

"What about going one town over if everything's still down? Surely, it can't be everywhere."

Oliver cringed and she knew he had bad news. "About that, we're going to have some trouble getting out of town."

Her eyes bulged. "What does that mean?"

"Someone slashed the tires of the Range Rover."

Well, she was glad they hadn't taken her car. "So we can't leave? When were you going to tell me this?"

"I was hoping I could come up with another plan before you asked." He walked over to the fireplace, lighting it.

"Do you think they're still out there? Whoever slashed the tires."

He shook his head. "I don't know. I don't think so, I thought I heard a vehicle start-up and leave but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

She put her hands on her hips and sighed. "So we wait then."

* * *

><p>It was three in the morning and Felicity was no where close to sleep. She'd gotten into the ginormous bed around midnight and had done nothing but toss and turn since then. She threw the blankets off of her and got out of bed. She could see the faint glow from the fireplace coming through the crack of the door and she was guessing Oliver was still awake.<p>

"Can't sleep?" He called from the couch when the door opened. He'd been sitting there, just staring into the fire.

"Nope. I think it's the adrenaline plus the fear that someone might try to kill us tonight." She sat down on the right end of the couch, pulling her feet up so she was curled up into the side.

"They would have tried already," he said in an attempt to comfort her, one that failed.

"That or they're waiting outside for us, just waiting for when we leave."

"We'll be fine."

"If you say it, then I believe it." That wasn't really true, she was so worked up that things were going to go really wrong, more so than right now, that she was sick to her stomach but she didn't want Oliver to know that.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked, abruptly, and she could tell it was something that had been bugging him for a little while. She nodded and waited for him. "When we first pulled into town, you said you were uncomfortable having to pretend to be a couple. Why does it make you uncomfortable?"

She squirmed under his gaze and felt her face heat up. She should have stayed in bed. "I don't know, it just does. Maybe it's because it hits a little too close to home," she admitted.

He turned so he could fully face her and she could make out the confusion on his face as the fire cast a glow on it. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, she said, "Oliver, it wasn't too long ago, you were fake confessing your love for me. Between that and this, it messes with my mind." She had no idea why she was telling him this other than the fact that it was three in the morning and they were stuck in this cabin, together and alone, and it didn't feel real. She felt like she might wake up in the morning, home in bed in Starling City. It was giving her a false sense of bravery.

"I'm sorry," he told her sincerely.

She shook her head. "Don't apologize, Oliver. We do what we have to and I'm not complaining, it's just sometimes my brain wanders, thinks about what it would be like if this were real. If we were real. Situations like this don't help."

He was quiet for a minute and she could have kicked herself, thinking she'd just screwed everything up between them because she couldn't lie one more time.

"Sometimes I forget," he finally said.

"Forget what?" Both of them were whispering, like they knew this wasn't a conversation they should be having.

"I forget that we're not real."

Her breath _wooshed_ out of her as his eyes landed on her, shining bright with sincerity. At some point, he'd moved closer to her without her realizing. "Have you been drinking?" She asked breathily.

His face was absolutely serious. "No, I haven't been drinking. In fact, my mind feels clearer than it has in awhile, I think being out in the woods has something to do with it." His eyes drifted over to the fire again, a pensive look in them. "You have this uncanny ability to read my mind and sometimes I think you know everything I'm thinking. That you know how often I think about you, how much I wish you were mine," his eyes drifted to her bare shoulder and she briefly cursed her choice to sleep in a tank top or she would've if she could get her breathing back on track. "How much I wish I had the right to touch you whenever I wanted. When I told you I loved you, that was one of the few honest moments I've allowed myself with you and I've thought about it every night since."

She was speechless, a rare thing for her, and her heart skipped a beat as he scooted even closer. The left side of his mouth lifted up as he stared deep into her eyes, reaching out to push a loose piece of hair back behind her ear. "You're stuck on a loop in my head, like a song I can't get rid of, one that I don't want to get rid of. It's a song I would listen to constantly if I could. It's a lame comparison but it's the only thing that makes sense. I replay every moment we have together over and over in my head, until it gets to the point where it borders dangerously on obsession. I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone in my entire life, Felicity." He leaned forward and her eyes slipped shut as his lips landed on hers softly, setting fire to her entire body as she gave in to him, the kiss picking up in intensity as his hand snaked up into her hair, pulling her closer. She opened her mouth and his tongue slid into it, caressing hers ever so slowly. She moaned his name and his fingers dug into her back as they lost themselves in each other. She pulled away from him, their foreheads resting against each other as they both tried to catch their breath. The kiss was everything she imagined it would be yet so much more at the same time.

Panic bubbled up her throat unexpectedly and she moved away from him. This was too much, he didn't realize what he was saying or doing and she didn't want to stick around to see when he came to his senses. He only wanted her because he felt like he couldn't have her, even though that was the furthest thing from the truth. Her heart was all his, all he had to do was ask, and she needed to get away from him before she told him that and it was too late to go back to the way things were. Not that she was sure if they could now that they'd shared a kiss. One life-changing kiss. She jumped off the couch, practically running back towards the bedroom. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. Long day ahead of us tomorrow and a couple hours is better than none. Or at least that's what they say, right? Good night, Oliver." The words rushed out of her as she dashed into the bedroom, quickly closing the door, and leaning up against it, trying to regain control of emotions that had spiraled out of control. He'd gotten off the couch when she had and she'd caught sight of a pained look on his face, calling out her name before she'd shut the door. He'd said so much with simply her name, he wanted her to stop, come back and explain herself, but she couldn't.

It killed her to admit it but she'd chickened out. She'd chickened out and _ran. _Dear God, what was wrong with her?

* * *

><p>Roy didn't know what to do. He'd been alternating between calling Felicity and Oliver ever since he'd watched Waller take Dig away in handcuffs. He'd even looked up the number for the place they were staying but there had been no answer either. Something bad was happening and he was at a loss, stuck on his own. That's why he found himself outside of Dig and Lyla's place. It probably wasn't the best idea but she needed to know that Diggle was in A.R.G.U.S. custody. Beside, she used to work for them, he was hoping she could shed some light on what was happening with Hanson and Maple Falls. He knocked lightly and the door swung open, revealing an extremely pregnant Lyla, who seemed like she'd been sitting by the door, waiting. "Roy," she said, shocked to find him. "Where's John? What happened?"<p>

Roy cringed, he didn't want to be the one to have this conversation. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

She nodded tightly and stepped aside, letting him in. Her body was tight with apprehension as she led Roy into the living room. Once they were settled in, he told her everything that had happened the last twenty-four hours, from Waller coming into the Foundry to Dig's arrest. After he'd got her up to speed, she sat quiet on the couch for a long moment. "There was rumors when I was in A.R.G.U.S. about the facility in Maple Falls," she finally said. "It wasn't my project so I didn't have clearance to know."

"Do you have any guesses? We saw something about human testing but testing for what?"

She bit her lip, shaking her head. "Rumors were they were trying make a new breed of soldier."

"Like the Mirakuru?" Rage flooded him but he pushed it down, way down.

Lyla nodded. "That and there were other experiments, though from what I heard, none of them have been successful."

"Does that mean all those people died? All the ones they did experiments on? How can they do that? How can they get away with that?"

"A.R.G.U.S. is allowed a lot more power than any extension of the government should be allowed."

"So what now? I have to find a way to get in touch with Oliver and Felicity, let them know what's really happening. And get Dig out of the A.R.G.U.S. facility."

Lyla grinned at him. "Good thing I happen to have an idea."


End file.
